James, it's possibly NOT your bank, but the gov't that THEY'RE getting problems with.

in other words, the bank allowed it before, because the bank KNOWS you guys, but then... they might've caught some FLAK for it, by an overzealous government clerk who noticed the signatures when processing?

I had a similar problem with my ex-husband once.

he paid the child support one month by signing over his TAX refund check.

my bank B of A (although they'd known me for many many years, and held my home loan, and handled my company business even!) simply REFUSED to allow me to cash the check, or even deposit the check into my account.

I was told that the reason was "government rules"